Saint-Florent

Tucked between the rugged Cap Corse peninsula and the Désert des Agriates in northern Corsica lies the charming seaside town of Saint-Florent. Known fondly by locals and visitors alike as ‘Little Saint-Tropez’, Saint-Florent is one of the island’s most popular charter destinations, and it’s clear to see why. The vibrant yet refined marina is the heart of the town, home to a lovely waterfront area lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars that serve locally caught seafood and wines from the nearby Patrimonio appellation, one of Corsica’s most celebrated AOC-certified wine regions. The town’s narrow streets wind through the inviting Old Town and lead to the distinctive 15th-century Genoese citadel that overlooks the gulf, while the 12th-century Nebbio Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta lies less than a kilometer away and is one of the finest examples of Pisan Romanesque architecture in Corsica. However, charterers are drawn to more than just the town of Saint-Florent itself; the beaches surrounding it are among its most highly prized offerings, with many only accessible from the open water. Saleccia and Loto, both fringing the Agriates coastline to the west, rank among the finest white-sand beaches in the entire Mediterranean—broad, undeveloped, and backed by maquis shrubland that stretches into the interior. The Désert des Agriates itself, covering approximately 15,000 hectares of arid, largely uninhabited landscape, is perfect for exploration by tender, with Genoese watchtowers including the Tour de Mortella and the Torra di Fornali punctuating the coastline. In addition, Saint-Florent’s location, 26 kilometers away from Bastia, makes it an ideal starting point for a broader charter around the northern part of Corsica.